Breakfast is notoriously a tough meal for people. Many don’t have time for it - they’re rushing to get out the door each day and it’s usually an after-thought. Others just aren’t hungry in the morning and see breakfast as an optional meal.

But getting in a quality breakfast can set the entire tone for the day – preventing that mid-morning crash and possibly even poor choices later in the day. I know for me, knowing I’ve already had a win (by eating a good breakfast) makes it easier to say yes to the right things later and resist temptation when it inevitably creeps up.

So what does a healthy breakfast actually look like? Let’s start with the basics. A nutritious, filling breakfast should include:

Quality protein (eggs, Canadian bacon, Greek yogurt, whey protein)

Carbohydrates (raw oats, fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables)

Healthy fat (nuts, seeds, nut butter, oils, organic butter)

If you know time in the morning is an issue for you, check out these five different options for a healthy, on-the-go breakfasts that are portable and require little (if any) cooking – listed below.

I like these recipes because you can make them ahead of time and they provide a lot of room for flexibility too – I included specific flavor variations below, but you can always edit the recipe if your flavor preferences are different (like using different veggies in the egg cups or different toppings on your overnight oats). Each option is also packed fruits or veggies (to get in those essential micronutrients) and protein & healthy fats to keep your blood sugar stable and maintain your satiety – so you don’t find yourself hungry again by 10:00am.

In a blender, combine bananas, milk, chia seeds, whey, vanilla, cinnamon and zucchini. Once blended, the mixture should be the consistency of cake batter.

Hand-mix the pecans and oats into the batter (do not blend).

Line muffin tin with muffin liners. Muffins come out very moist, so this step is important!

Pour batter into muffin tins until about 80% full. Sprinkle optional toppings over the top.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown and enjoy!

*Store in a zip-lock bag in the refrigerator for 3-4 days

4. HOMEMADE PROTEIN BARS

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE PROTEIN BAR

Makes 8 Servings | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 5 minutes

Cal: 300 | P: 17 | F: 18 | C: 24

INGREDIENTS

½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 cup natural chunky almond or peanut butter

2-3 Tbsp. honey, plus more to taste (optional)

1¼ cup vanilla (or chocolate) whey protein powder

2 cups gluten free oats

(Optional: Melted 80% dark chocolate for drizzle)

DIRECTIONS

In a medium pot, combine milk, nut butter, and honey over low heat. Stir just until all ingredients are well combined and warmed through. Add protein powder and oats. Stir to combine well. (If mixture is too thick to stir, slowly add milk.)

Allow bars to cool completely before cutting into squares. Wrap in airtight container and store at moderate room temp for up to a week.

*Note: Nutritional information does not include optional chocolate.

5. PROTEIN SHAKES

MAPLE NUT SHAKE

Makes 1 Serving | Prep time: 0 minutes | Cook time: 2 minutes

Cal: 340 | P: 26 | F: 13 | C: 26

INGREDIENTS

1 serving Life Time vanilla protein powder

½ frozen banana

½ Tbsp. maple syrup

1 Tbsp. cashew butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup unsweetened nut milk

4-5 ice cubes, as preferred

DIRECTIONS

Blend and enjoy!

Written by Kat Larrea, Pn1 - Life Time 60day Program Manager

This article is not intended for the treatment or prevention of disease, nor as a substitute for medical treatment, nor as an alternative to medical advice. Use of recommendations in this and other articles is at the choice and risk of the reader.

Article originally appeared on LifeTime WeightLoss (http://www.lifetime-weightloss.com/).